Moments to live for

Last night I was sitting on my couch just grinning from ear to ear as I watched my daughter get her "purse", put a sock in it (and it couldn't be any sock - it was the same red with hearts sock each time), and wander towards the front door. When I asked her if she was planning to go for a walk outside with her purse, she said "Yeah! Bye-bye" and waved at me. Then she reappeared around the corner grinning maniacally and looking for hugs.

Later we played chase around the coffee table and it only took her two passes to anticipate which direction I was going to go and double back so she could catch me instead.

These are the good times and I don't ever want to forget them.

Some recent captures of little Miss Personality:

Keira is 1 year, 1 month, 1 week and 5 days old

Playing Catch Up Part One: Christmas Photo Shoot

In early December I decided I wanted to try and get some photos of Miss K to put on a Christmas card. I used our alpaca wool carpet as a backdrop, draped over my coffee table. This won't work again as she is now too tall and her head peeks over the edge. I need to breakdown and invest in some nice sheets that are easy to iron...

She was not super into it, but I managed to get a few good shots I think:

 

 

 

 

 

And a some I took outside with a different ball (which quickly broke on the concrete)

I really need to work on my editing. In the first group see how the whites are all over the place? I am not smart enough yet to figure out how to balance them all to the same level. I have to work on each photo individually for now. But I think I captured some fun moments. I also like how the 2nd group outside she looks like such a big little girl. This is right after she really mastered walking. She no longer needed to hold my hand to walk across the concrete.
here she is flying away from me:

And here is the final product I ordered, through one of Vistaprint's many freebie deals (50 postcards, free)

(The middle photo of all of us is courtesy of the ever talented Kyla Hemmelgarn Photography)

And because I love it and it was from the same day, sharing a secret with Grandma:

2009 in pictures

I know, I did it again. I let my blogging slide. I am sorry faithful reader (aka mom). But the beauty of a another year, there is always time to begin things anew.
I owe you some major blogging - K has been a walking, talking, signing, giggling machine. Not to mention Christmas and her 1 year birthday!
For now, let's look back at 2009 and 12 of my favourite moments caught on film:

January 2009 - who knew we would spend so much time in 2009 chasing this illusive image?:

February 2009:

March 2009 - my little gnome:

April 2009 - the emergence of my treasured Nikon d60

May 2009: K sits unassisted for the first time and the race to toddlerhood begins!

June 2009 - our first swimming lessons:

July 2009 - K's first boat ride:

 

August 2009 - lots of family togetherness. I don't think I can pick just one for this month:

K and Sophia chilling on the beach in Emerald Isle, NC

K's first golf game in Charleston, SC:

September 2009 - hanging with one of her many grandpas:

October 2009 - sunkissed baby:

November 2009:

December 2009 - nailing the money shot for our christmas cards:

Wishing everyone a great beginning to the new year!

Hey (momma), How you doin'?

This is seriously what I felt like on Wednesday.

I had my last mother goose class this week before returning to work. ::sniff sniff::. Keira has befriended a 14 m.o girl in that class, Rachel. They are like twins - adorable, blond, blue eyes, into EVERYTHING, vocal and don't sleep! At the last class all they wanted to do was hug and kiss each other. Pretty freakin' awesome.
I think her mom is pretty cool too. We chat a lot and seem into the same kind of things. She's down to earth, not done up, a daycare teacher. Through the entire class I could feel my hands get clammy, my neck sweating a little bit and my heart thumping. I knew I had to make the first move before class was over or K would lose her BFF (not counting Brika of course!). And I couldn't dissapoint those big baby blues looking up at me.
So, summoning my best inner Joey, I took the plunge and nervously offered her my email and phone number. I felt my breath stop as I awaited her reply. It was affirmative. Phew! I don't know how guys do this all the time.

So my first new mommy date is in my near future. What in the heck will I wear? What will we talk about? Do I hug her at the end or just offer a handshake?
And here I thought getting married freed me of the dating scene. Silly me.

Keira is 11 months, 1 week and 1 day old

Boo From us to you!

Happy Halloween All!

It was pretty quiet at our place - anyone who has been here knows it is a little difficult to find - apparently even for people who live in the complex. Despite over 100 units, I think we had a dozen kids, and a lot of candy left over. Regan has already entered 2 candy comas and has sworn off chocolate (until tomorrow I am sure). Next year we are going to talk to our 2 neighbours about really decking the sidewalk out so the kiddos know there are houses with treats in that area that looks like a back alley.

Here are some shots of K rocking her halloween lion costume.




In other news K gave us her first sign back today! I have been occasionally trying to teach some baby sign language (milk, more, done, cat mostly) since she was about 6 months old. Well today that finally all paid off when she let us know she was "all done" at lunch, then dinner.

Its rather simple, waving your hands forward and back in front of your chest. Much nicer then screeching and/or throwing her food on the ground. Dinner was actually very funny; Regan had made a fairly spicy stirfry, but I thought I would let her try it anyway. At first she seemed to enjoy it, but then she got this look of terror on her face and started frantically waving her hands "all done". (We got her something bland and creamy stat to kick the spice).

This gives me the impetus to keep trying more and hopefully this is just the beginning of some beautiful communication :)

In not so fun news, November 1 also marks my official last month of maternity leave. I know how lucky I am to live in a country which offers a full year's maternity, but in so many ways I feel like K and I are just starting to understand eachother and get a rhythm going. And while I know she is headed to a safe place for daycare, I worry about whether or not she will be able to settle into a routine there and thrive when she is not the only baby anymore. She is very sociable and will love having kids to play with, but also demanding of her primary caregiver.

Keira is 10 months, 2 weeks and 5 days old

They always reel you back in

So I have been writing a "woe is me" post in my head for several days. Sleeping (more to the point, getting to sleep and then staying asleep) in our house is NOT going well and I am starting to lose patience. Tonight I was just trying to get K down and get a little bit of time for myself, when she decided to initiate peek-a-boo. She kept pulling her towel over her head and then would wait until I said "where is Keira" before pulling it off triumphantly and cackling. She hasn't done this before - we always have to get things started and guide the game a bit.

So of course my heart melted and I silently swore I would rock her to sleep for hours and hours all the days of her life if she would only stay my smart sassy lovely baby forever. Sigh, they certainly have killer timing.

She has also started resting her head on my shoulder when she is scared, tired or upset. While she is very affectionate with kisses and chatting, she has never been much of a cuddler, so I treasure any opportunity to hold her like that. Bliss!

And a few new photos from the fall; if you have me on FB you may have already seen these. Hope you don't mind the double posting!





Keira is 10 months, 2 weeks and 3 days old

So not Ready for a Toddler

Last week at the mall K refused (as usual) to sit in her stroller, so while I was picking out sleepers at Children's Place, I let her crawl around it. Of course she promptly pulled up and attempted to use it as a walker. Naturally she took a tumble (the girl has inherited my clumsy gene, lucky thing) and BIT HER TONGUE on the fall.
I don't think I have ever been as terrified as I watched my child spit blood in the middle of the store.

10 minutes later she was happy as a clam, but I am still beating myself up about not paying closer attention. Since she started taking steps the blows to the head have increased tenfold.
If she makes it to 1, let alone adulthood it will be a miracle.

the good news is she has 3 new adorable sleepers with zippers. Oh and googling "how to remove blood stains" was rather enlightening.

Keira is 10 months and 4 days old